“This is a great idea where a successful charity and the County Council can work together to get emergency help direct to those people who need it most,” said council cabinet member David Hall.

“It is extremely distressing for people who have seen water pour into their homes. If we can ease the load slightly with some relatively small grants just to help them over the crisis, then that is important and we will react quickly to help.”

Somerset Community Foundation made national headlines last year for a campaign in which it asked people who did not need their government winter fuel allowance to pass the grant over to the charity to then be used to help more vulnerable and needy residents.

"We thought that this is a crisis and we should do what we can to help,” said the charity’s chief executive Justin Sargent.

“If we raise more money than can be used in the immediate future, we would look at larger grants to those people hit hardest by the floods, and even to the other charities and groups that can support them.

“The campaign will be part of the existing ‘Surviving Winter’ campaign. Somerset people are so generous and I’m sure anyone who has seen the pictures on TV over the past week will know how much upset flooding can cause.

"The £50,000 from Somerset County Council is a fantastic contribution, but we are looking for more donations to add to the fund.”

Anyone interested in donating to the charity fund can do so online at www.somersetcf.org.uk or text donation to WARM44 £ and then the amount of donation they would like to give to text number 70070.